The Boulos Company has released Maine’s COVID Office Impact Survey entitled: “Where’s Maine Working?” – The Boulos Company interviewed over 160 Maine professionals to determine how many companies are working from home, how productive they feel, and when they’re headed back to the office.

Boulos conducted the survey to provide Maine’s business community with insight into how their peers have responded to the pandemic and to share critical information as they move forward in an unprecedented real estate market.

COVID-19 has had an enormous impact on the way each of us work and live and an attendant effect on the office market. Landlords and tenants have been forced to navigate these uncertainties as best they can. In this article, we note some of the best practices for officing during the pandemic, review the market situation, and look at emerging trends that may guide the year ahead.

Round two of the SBA’s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) opened on Monday, January 11, 2021. Within the bill is a $284 billion pool to help struggling businesses survive the pandemic. The bill includes temporary alterations to the SBA 504 Loan, a government-backed loan program designed to provide financing to small and medium-sized businesses to promote economic growth and job creation.

The Boulos Company has released its “Where’s New Hampshire Working?” survey which explores the impact of COVID-19 on the commercial office market. The survey, conducted December 2020 through February 2021 provides a snapshot of the local response to the pandemic. More than 60 New Hampshire professionals from a range of industries answered questions about working from home, productivity, office reentry plans, and more.

In the past month, an optimistic undertone is starting to creep into conversations with clients, family, and friends. The usual anticipation of spring has a whole new meaning this year when coupled with the vaccination rollout and being able to point to progress on the battle against COVID-19.

It should be no surprise to anyone that the Greater Portland office market was affected by the pandemic in 2020. When The Boulos Company began our annual market survey of 12 million square feet across 350 Class A and Class B office buildings, we didn’t know what to expect.

Once a hub for gas stations and automobile service centers, the Forest Avenue corridor has become a heavily-trafficked gateway to downtown Portland, home to restaurants, retailers, nonprofits, and more. Off-peninsula neighborhoods, such as Forest Avenue, have become a draw for businesses seeking relief from expensive downtown rents. For at least a decade, Forest Avenue and Woodford’s Corner…

The 2020 overview of Maine’s industrial market looks a lot like 2019’s—strong tenant demand, lack of supply, and an incredibly sought-after investment market. But there is one notable difference. Demand increased even more in 2020, due to COVID-19.

The Boulos Company has been on the frontlines of commercial real estate since 1975. We have been helping businesses to make smart real estate decisions ever since then. In the wake of COVID-19, we have developed a step-by-step approach to help businesses to understand the effect of COVID-19 on their space, to get the most out of their staff, and to spend their money effectively. In our recent COVID Office Impact Survey, we asked 150+ professionals in Maine what their plan was to re-enter the workplace. Of the responses we received, far too many indicated “I don’t know.” This pushed our team to shed light on this topic. In doing so, we aim to arm tenants, owners, and landlords with the information necessary to plan for the road ahead. Below are a few steps we would take to help you make a plan for your business.

Author:  John Finegan, Associate The below was written as a cheat sheet for two referenda that will have an immediate impact on Portland business owners and landlords, Minimum Wage and Rent Control. The goal of this cheat sheet is to give readers a brief synopsis of these referenda and how they function, and present the information in a more palatable … Continue reading Portland Referendum Spotlight: Minimum Wage and Rent Control

  In many ways, the beginning of 2020 was the best of times for commercial lenders – stable rates, lots of deal flow and few loan delinquencies. That would quickly deteriorate by March/April due to the worldwide Coronavirus pandemic, to one of the worst public health and economic crises in modern history. “Coming into the pandemic, the bank was busier … Continue reading How COVID-19 Affected Commercial Lending

If the title of the article didn’t give it away, I am a big fan of HBO’s hit show Game of Thrones. The Starks of Winterfell were known for a saying that always came true in the story’s fictional setting of Westeros, as it does in the beautiful state of Maine, and that is: “winter is coming.”